Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Planning and Lobbying
Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
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Zhang Haoxuan, male, 32 years old—just the sa as the current reverse—graduated from the Film Academy, a small-ti director at an unremarkable local TV station, frustrated and with no way forward, just muddling through day by day. This was his information before he crossed over, but it’s already useless now.
If I hadn’t been ostracized, would I have beco that kind of failure? I would have long been a famous director, exploiting others left and right. Zhang Haoxuan cursed inwardly. It couldn’t be denied that when he entered the Film Academy to study directing, he had so unsavory motives. But when it ca to his studies, he was very serious, with his proudest achievent being watching ten movies a day continuously for several days, setting a new record!
Watching ten movies wasn’t just casual viewing—it involved analyzing the shots, studying the techniques, pondering the director’s intentions, and presenting pros and cons based on his observations. Besides that, he read a lot of movie scripts, and even sought advice online to find many original scripts of Hollywood blockbusters. He often argued passionately with his ntors and professors.
But exactly because of this, he was ostracized after graduation. Not to ntion realizing his “grand ambition,” he almost couldn’t even find a job, and it took great difficulty to beco a small assistant at so local TV station. Although he eventually struggled to beco a director step by step, what could a director at a small local station achieve?
Even when he was down and out to this degree, his forr classmates from the Film Academy wouldn’t let him go at the reunion. As soon as he showed up, they took turns toasting him, intending to drink him under the table.
In the end, Zhang Haoxuan really was drunk to death. He could even clearly rember the last sentence before he crossed over was in a slightly alard voice from soone: “Oh no, he seems to have stopped breathing!”
Well, dying drunk and being reborn, he was probably the first.
Stop thinking about it. It’s all irrelevant now. Zhang Haoxuan waved those thoughts away from his mind. Clearly, so powerful being, perhaps Hongjun or Yehovah, had given him another chance, and he couldn’t waste it.
Hollywood! Zhang Haoxuan mumbled the na. Having watched so many movies in his previous life, how could he not know what it represented? The center of the world’s entertainnt industry, a place all aspiring and beautiful n and won dream of.
So… why not plant seeds in Hollywood?! A strange idea suddenly erged from his mind, making his breath quicken. Clearly, Zhang Haoxuan shared so thoughts with Adrian in certain areas.
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A stylish silver-gray Ford car stopped by the roadside. The young man getting out tossed a coin into the ter, adjusted his tailored handmade suit, and walked into the adjacent elegant coffee shop.
Guided by the server, he quickly spotted his target, walked a few steps over, sat down in front of the other person, and said lazily, “What do you need for, Ed?”
“Very simple, Crow. I want you to help rob the Japanese.” Zhang Haoxuan—or, more accurately, Adrian—closed the newspaper and set it aside, raising his head to stare directly into the other’s eyes with a smile.
“Creative,” the other couldn’t help but whistle, “Just tell the ti and place. The Los Angeles Police Departnt might award a good citizen dal.”
“Right now, all of the United States is robbing the Japanese. I just want to seize the opportunity for a piece of the pie.” Leisurely, Adrian pushed the paper in front of him; the economic section’s article analyzing the Nikkei index was very conspicuous.
“When did you start enjoying reading economic news?” Claude half-teased, half-wondered aloud.
“I believe you’ve been doing the sa recently, though The Godfather must be restraining you,” Adrian avoided answering directly and began explaining. “My funds aren’t much, just about 6 million, but I can let you take full charge. How’s that for a deal, Claude?”
“What are you talking about, Ed?” Initially with a bit of humor, Claude now turned serious.
“Do you really want to repeat myself, Claude?” Adrian crossed his legs, interlocked his fingers on the table.
Seeing the familiar gesture, Claude unconsciously raised a hand, “You know, Ed, for a few seconds there, I thought soone else was sitting in front of —why’d you suddenly bring this up?”
“Well,” Adrian weighed his words, “I indeed have changed due to certain events.”
He shifted his posture, “Rember the other day on the phone, when I told you about getting shocked by the bedside lamp while trying to fix it?”
“Of course,” Claude nodded, puzzled, “Did it leave any aftereffects?”
“In the ti I was unconscious from the shock until I woke up, I had a dream. I saw a light, the light of God. Many things suddenly flashed before . I wanted to grasp them but couldn’t. Suddenly, I realized sothing had to be done. And so, after several days of thinking upon waking, I ca to you.” Adrian concluded with a profound expression.
“So you approached for managing your investnt, and after making money…” Claude gestured seriously, “Build so beautiful cathedrals and donate to various church organizations?”
“If you agree, I’ll imdiately notify Wilson, the lawyer,” Adrian ignored his joke, “I’ll let you take full charge and see only the results—this money has to increase at least five to ten tis!”
“Five to ten tis?” Claude appeared surprised again, “You realize it’s getting late in the ga…”
“That’s why I ca to you,” Adrian interrupted bluntly, “Don’t tell you’ve lost your sharpness after two years in your father’s company, Claude.”
“Don’t try that trick, Ed,” Claude twitched his mouth, “Seriously, what exactly do you want to achieve?”
“Simple,” Adrian smiled slightly, turning serious, “I want to control Hollywood.”
“Control Hollywood?” Claude furrowed his brow, tapping his fingers on the table before speaking again, “If you had said this goal right from the start, I would have just laughed it off. But now…”
He showed a “sympathetic” gaze, “I could introduce an outstanding doctor to you, Ed. He’s highly skilled in ntal and psychological areas. Maybe you could find ti to talk to him.”
“Save the humor, Claude. I’m being very serious about this.” Adrian raised his hands.
“Do you know what you’re saying, Ed?” Claude finally beca earnest, “Leaving aside how ridiculous this idea is, to even begin towards this goal, you first need a lot of money.”
“Aren’t I asking you to help make money now?”
“Help make money? Even if I reach your target, it’d still just be 60 million US dollars. Starting a dium-sized film company and investing in a few dium-sized films, then that’d be about it. If the movies don’t make money, you’ll be waiting for bankruptcy.”
“What if they do?”
“Then we keep making money until it goes public,” Claude straightened up, looking into Adrian’s eyes, “Until your film company’s market value exceeds 20 billion, you can only focus on making money, Ed. And besides this…”
“A lot of connections and fa are needed,” Adrian picked up the topic, “Actually, that’s easy.”
“Easy?” Claude rolled his eyes and spread his hands a bit helplessly.
“First, we already have so connections; we just need to use them well. Second, by producing a few box-office hits, people will naturally rush to invest. Lastly, if we can make a few actors stars, like winning the Oscar for Best Actor and Actress, people will also scramble to collaborate with us.” Adrian spoke without haste.
“Truly easy,” Claude imdiately sneered, “Provided God blesses us into getting royal flushes whenever we deal, anything would be easy.”
“I’m already preparing the script, Claude,” Adrian once again showed a profound smile, “I’m confident several film companies in Hollywood will be very interested. Once we’ve established footing this way, I’ll imdiately start directing movies, gradually expanding my influence, while all you need to do is ensure financial security.”
“You’re saying… you’re writing a script, and also want to direct?!” Claude seed visibly ntally stretched.
“Why not give it a try, Claude? See if I can create a miracle, you only need to spend a year’s ti, and find ways to expand this 6 million at least tenfold. Regard it as leaving your parents’ care and going through so good training, how about that? You have nothing to lose.” Adrian squinted, smilingly said.
Claude silently watched him for a while, finally speaking: “I rember you always quoted a saying from your Chinese grandmother, sothing about… guiding the other side thodically and making them follow your rhythm and think along. You said courting won needed this approach, didn’t expect now it was used on .”
“The word is ‘guiding and inducing’; it’s actually a comndatory term.” Adrian shrugged, “I learned quite a bit of Chinese from my Chinese grandmother. If you want to learn…”
“Alright, alright, Ed, stop this topic,” Claude raised both hands, “I agree.”
“Don’t be that way, Chinese is actually quite simple… wait, what did you say?”
“I agree, as you said, after all, I have nothing to lose. Besides, I’m curious to see what kind of miracles my lifelong friend can create.” Claude said, spreading his hands.
Gazing at him earnestly for a while, Adrian finally laughed, “Great, I don’t think you’ll regret this decision, Claude!”
Although still maintaining the sophisticated deanor of an upper-class person, Adrian finally inwardly sighed in relief, having finally resolved a big problem. Convincing Claude wasn’t an easy task indeed. It looks as if both his mory and emotions, along with his way of dealing with matters, have integrated well. This should be a reason for celebration, shouldn’t it?
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